In recent years, cushioned track assemblies for earthmoving machines have been used to great advantage on certain types of earthmoving applications when working in certain types of soils. The cushioned track with grousered track shoes, when used on a normally rubber tired vehicle, provides increased tire life, added productivity, and greater operator confidence and comfort. However, a problem sometimes develops with conventional track and the cushion track assemblies when the earthmoving machine is working in wet or sticky soils. In such a situation, the soil sometimes has a tendency to stick to the track shoes and tightly pack and fill the space between the grouser bars. With the area between the grouser bars filled with mud or dirt, the grousers are prevented from penetrating into the soil and providing desirable traction for the machine. Wheel slippage and low traction results from such conditions with corresponding waste of time, labor and valuable fuel.
An additional problem develops when the track equipped machine is working on sloping or uneven terrain. If the track shoes and grousers become mud packed, stability of the machine is affected and the machine can undesirably slip and slide. Similar adverse operating conditions exist when the machine is working in ice and snow.